


human nature

by andsoiaccidentally



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-17 14:13:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3532310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andsoiaccidentally/pseuds/andsoiaccidentally
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A war is coming and around them the entire world is turning grey but in Grimmauld Place, once a home to the darkest of wizards, Nymphadora Tonks is bringing a little colour to the life of Remus Lupin. And her pink hair is just the start.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introducing Nymphadora Tonks

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this but it will definitely follow my favourite werewolf/metamorphmagus couple through the trials and tribulations of their getting together.
> 
> Huge thanks to my loves Jake and Kara for telling me when I'm making sense and when I'm not.

The first thing Tonks notices, stepping inside headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix for the first time, is the drop in temperature. The combination of her Weird Sisters t-shirt (bubble-gum pink to match her hair) and striped, cotton shorts had been appropriate attire for the balmy air outside, but inside the hallway of number 12 she is shivering. She takes in the décor: the colours are dark and joyless, everything looks like a Borgin & Burke purchase and her Auror senses tell her to touch nothing. A figure appears ahead of her, Kingsley and Mad-Eye, leaning on the bannisters of the staircase that leads down into the kitchen. Sirius is gaunt and tired, yet still clearly displaying the pale, angular features and dark curls typical of the Black dynasty. He fires security questions her associates, who reply, vouch for her, and then continue down into the kitchen, leaving the Order’s newest recruit alone with her estranged, fugitive cousin.

Sirius smirks at her, “Little Nymphadora.”

“Call me that again and I’ll hex your nose off,” she retorts, making to whip her wand from where she keeps it in her back pocket despite her mentor’s regular warnings. “Just Tonks, please.” The last time Sirius had seen her, she’d been eight and considerably shyer. It had been just before she’d decided that she didn’t need an unusual name to add to her unusual gift. Azkaban had prevented Sirius from receiving the memo. He nods in acknowledgement and doesn’t press the issue. “Long time no see, cousin. How’re your mum and dad?”

“Pretty good, yeah. Same old, same old, really. Dad’s still making mess and Mum’s still tidying up after him. ”

He laughs. “Make sure you tell ‘Dromeda that her favourite cousin wouldn’t mind a visit next time you see her.” He studies her expression carefully and the corners of his grin droop a little, “…Unless she thinks I’m actually a mass murderer who betrayed my friends to Voldemort?”

“Nah, she knows you’d never have done something in keeping with family tradition.” He winks at her- a gesture she returns- then turns to descend the stairs with the words: “Meeting’s this way.”

She follows, well, she does for a short while, until her foot catches on a concealed umbrella stand and she promptly falls flat on her face. Looking up she can no longer see Sirius but another man is stood chuckling at the bottom of the other set of stairs, descending from the first floor. She hadn’t heard his approach over her own whirlwind of calamity and curses. Seconds later comes the shriek: “FILTH! FREAKS! BLOOD TRAITORS! HALF BREEDS! HOW DARE YOU ENTER MY HOUSE, THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK!?” After a struggle, the man manages to pull the curtains shut over the screaming portrait of Tonks’ great aunt with a combination of magic and brute force. Meanwhile she pulls herself to her feet and brushes herself off.

  
“Freaks and blood traitors, that’s me,” she says when she’s sure he’s quite finished, offering her hand to shake. “I’m Tonks.”

He recognises her name; it draws the image of a family, Sirius’ only likeable cousin, the Muggleborn husband who caused her to be disowned and their mischievous, shapeshifting offspring. He doesn’t accept her hand immediately, instead he stares at her with confusion as he introduces himself, almost as if he’s expecting her to withdraw her offer.

“Remus Lupin, pleasure to make your acquaintance.” When Tonks’ hand doesn’t move he shakes it hesitantly. He’s a tall man, green-eyed with grey streaked sandy brown hair. Three long scars run parallel across his face: claw marks. He is familiar and when a name is put to his face she remembers reading an article about him in the Daily Prophet just over a year previously.

“The Hogwarts professor?”

“Ex-Hogwarts professor.” He corrects, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. “You’re Andromeda’s daughter, Nymphadora?”

To his surprise, this is the moment when the humour drops out of those bright, dark eyes. She’d known that he’d taught at Hogwarts, therefore she must also know about his lycanthropy, but she doesn’t let it show. He’s so used to people refusing his company once they discover his secret, and as an Auror, she must be more aware of the threat werewolves pose than most. Yet, inconceivably to him, she seems to be more put out by his use of her hated given name, than the fact he turns into a monster once a month.  
“I haven’t been called that since I was eight,” she says, gritting her teeth. “It’s Tonks, just Tonks.”

“I’m sorry, I really am,” he looks vaguely embarrassed and any annoyance she might have felt towards him vanishes.

“It’s okay, it’s just when you can do this...” She trails off as her face transforms, soft, rounded features becoming harsher and sharper until she’s sporting the hooked nose and greasy black hair of Severus Snape. Remus almost chokes as he inhales. “… You don’t really need an weird name to boot.”

They head down into the kitchen for the meeting and she pulls up a chair at the table opposite him as he settles between Arthur and Sirius. Chattering amongst themselves, most members of the Order of the Phoenix don’t notice them slip in but, when Molly passes by she squeezes Tonks’ shoulder. That’s when Remus realises she must be about the same age as the oldest Weasley children. She might be an Auror, but she can’t be more than three years out of Hogwarts; the same age as James and Lily when the war and Voldemort claimed them. His train of thought is interrupted when Sirius leans across him, with mischief in his eyes. “Hey, kiddo,” he says to his cousin, “Want to hear a funny story about your mum?”

She sticks around after the meeting to continue her chat with Sirius. It’s been a long time since he’s seen a member of his family other than the portraits hanging on the grimy walls in his ancestral home. Anyway, his anecdotes, although exaggerated, seem never to fail to be good entertainment. Remus watches the two of them laugh, watches the frown lift from his best friend’s brow where it has been sitting stubbornly for the last four days. If she can bring about that change in him, he thinks maybe life in the Order of the Phoenix won’t be as mundane as he’s been expecting. He sees her again a little later sat at the kitchen table, sharing a butterbeer with Ginny Weasley and making the younger girl giggle hysterically when her nose transforms into a pig’s snout. That’s when Remus Lupin realises: he’s already grateful for Nymphadora Tonks.


	2. Ghosts in the Graveyard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonks and Remus' first Order mission together is unrewarding and they find other ways to occupy their time.

A few days after their meeting in the hallway of Grimmauld Place, Remus and Tonks find themselves crouching behind some shrubs in a graveyard on their first Order mission together. The abandoned church they’re watching is a suspected Death Eater meeting point, but on this evening it seems to be devoid of any activity whatsoever. However, if Dumbledore thinks this particular lead is worth chasing up, they don’t really have much choice but to check. Besides, Remus is looking forward to getting to know his young colleague a little better. Her hair is dark green this evening, for camouflage, and he thinks he prefers it pink but she has adopted a smattering of freckles that he finds rather becoming.

She shifts her stance constantly but silently in their concealed position, struggling to stay still for too long. It’s out of impatience, though, not unease. Two different wizards might have been put on edge by their setting but both have faced worse than a few common or garden ghosts. And the Death Eaters seem to be a no-show too. They grow complacent, whispered conversation becoming general chatter and after an hour or so they’ve forgotten why they’re even there in the first place. Talking, where Tonks and Remus are concerned generally involves her inquiring about everything under the sun (Sirius, the original Order, his time at Hogwarts) and him answering her questions until her curiosity is satisfied. He doesn’t want to take the liberty to pry too much into her life, not just yet.

That is, until she asks moments later: “Have we met before? Y’know before Sirius went into Azkaban, when I was a kid.”

A smile plays on his lips and she knows they have before he replies. “As a matter of fact, Sirius and I babysat you a few times.”

“You’re joking.” Her eyes are wide in surprise and her cheeks flame in poorly- concealed embarrassment.

“I’m not I’m afraid.”

“How many times is a few? How old was I?” The questions tumble from her lips.

“Four or five perhaps, and it was when you were three,” he states matter-of-factly, ignoring Tonks’ mortification.

“Why did you stop?”

“Your mother released us from her services after Sirius decided it would be a good idea to teach you his favourite swear words. Of course, I didn’t stop him.” He admits sheepishly.

“That sounds like my cousin. What were the words that horrified my mother so much?”

Although they’re in an abandoned graveyard with no living souls for miles around to hear them, Remus leans over and whispers them into her ear and she laughs and nods in appreciation. The mischievous glint in her eye in that moment reminds him of that of his oldest remaining friend, before the Dementors sucked it from him. He feels something twinge in his chest.

He realises he has been staring when an owl’s hoot cuts through the air between them. His gaze snaps away, following the sound and feeling his face burning. When he turns back around to face Tonks a split second later, he finds her gone. The graveyard is empty. Silent. He moves out from the hedges and through the headstones, slowly and quietly.

Something jumps out at him, shrieking. Something green-haired and at least a head shorter than him. Or rather, someone. He cries out in surprise but this fades into laughter as she trips over the corner of a gravestone and lands on her face in a ditch. He helps her up, still chuckling. She’s covered in grass cuttings and there’s a scowl on her face.  
“This isn’t funny, Remus.”

“Oh I think it is.”

“It’s not! I might be able to hex a Death Eater or change my face at will but I can’t stop myself falling flat on my face every time I so much as leave my flat.”

Remus doesn’t say anything for a moment then reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a bar in silver wrapping. He tears at the paper and peels it back, offering her the confectionery inside.

“Chocolate, Remus?”

“Eat it. You’ll feel better.”

She raises her eyebrows but breaks off the first piece anyway and pops it into her mouth. When she’s finished he offers her another square but she declines and so he slips the bar back into his pocket.  
“Are you not going to have any yourself?” She asks.

“Oh no, I feel chocolate is at its most beneficial when nothing else can cheer you up.”

“Ah, I see,” she smiles, then, watching dawn begin to creep over the horizon, she says, “I think this place is a lost cause. Shall we get going?”

He nods. “I guess I’ll see you at the next Order meeting.”

“I guess you will.”

Then, in the early hours of the morning, just as Tonks is about to Apparate back to Headquarters, she hears Remus call her name.  
“Yes?”

“The clumsiness is endearing, really.” He confesses. He doesn’t wait around long enough to see her stick her tongue out at him in a childish retort. She’s secretly flattered though, not that she would ever tell him so.


	3. The Full Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life at Grimmauld Place never stops, not even for the full moon.

When the full moon comes around, conflicts begin to arise between Remus and Sirius. Although Severus is brewing him Wolfsbane again and he knows the danger of transformation will be decreased, he still doesn't want to remain at Number Twelve whilst in his werewolf state. The Weasleys have moved in for the summer, with Harry and Hermione soon to arrive and he can’t bear the thought that something might go wrong and he might harm one of his friends or, Merlin forbid, one of the children. He finds an abandoned barn somewhere far north and remote in which he can spend the night. He is to leave before sunset to transform, and Arthur Weasley will come and collect him after sunrise and Side-Along Apparate with him back to Headquarters. Sirius is the only one who can find flaws in the plan.

Confined to the house, he has become increasingly agitated, watching the other Order members come and go as freely as they please. Part of him has been looking forward to the full moon, a chance to resume the old Marauder tradition of Remus having his friends- now friend, singular- with him during his transformation but now that has been ripped from him, along with his freedom. He suggests that he and Remus are locked in the basement during the course of the night, but Remus doesn't trust that the bolts on the door are strong enough to hold an irate, starving werewolf. Sirius tells him he worries too much, Remus tells him he has never worried enough, they argue and the heir of the House of Black storms off into the depths of the house and his werewolf counterpart slumps at the kitchen table, staring into his tea.

He Apparates to the barn as planned and bolts the heavy wooden doors behind him, charming it shut too, just in case. He sits, cross-legged beneath the hole in the roof where the tiles have slipped away and waits for the moon to rise and the agony to consume him.

“Morning, Remus!” comes a voice from a bale of hay in the corner of the barn. Remus tries to get his eyes to focus, and his mind, but both are reluctant. He tries to identify the speaker and fails. Every muscle in his body aches but he can feel no new lacerations from where the wolf’s claws tore at its own skin. He makes several futile attempts to lift his head before he’s drained of energy completely. As he is about to slip back into sleep he feels a hand close around his arm and the ground disappears beneath him.

The next time he wakes, Padfoot is curled up at his feet, watching him intently. At least, Remus thinks, Sirius has forgiven him now although he’s given in to worry and he’d rather that wasn't the case either. He’s been through much worse on a full moon.  
There’s a loud crash along with an exasperated sigh from Mrs Weasley.  
“Tonks!”

“Oh Merlin, I’m so sorry Molly.”

Then Sirius’ mother begins to scream and it’s too much for Remus’ pounding head. It’s as if she’s right by his ear rather than downstairs. He rolls over and puts a pillow over his head in an attempt to drown out the sound. Eventually the noise subsides and his headache dies down slightly. He can feel his eyelids closing, can feel himself losing his grip on consciousness, when a pair of large paws connect with his chest. Sirius has always liked to take advantage of his animagus form, frequently adopting animalistic behaviours just because he is able to. He likes the fact that, as a dog, licking people’s faces is considered acceptable, friendly and a little less gross than if he were in human form and doing it. Remus swats him away, awake now.

“I better take this up to Remus,” Molly gestures at a tray of food she has put aside for him, resting on the worktop.

“I’ll do it, Molly, it’s fine.”

“Are you sure?” The older woman asks and Tonks knows that’s because she expects her to trip and spill everything everywhere. Little does Molly know that as soon has those words had left her mouth she had challenged the young Auror to carry Remus’ dinner up three flights of stairs and along the landing where the dreaded troll’s foot umbrella stand lurked, without even stumbling.

“Yes, of course.” Her gaze is steady. She accepts the task.

There’s a knock at his door and he calls out at whoever is behind it to come in. Padfoot transfigures back into Sirius and opens the door for Tonks when she replies that her hands are currently full. Then he slips out of the room as she enters. She puts a plate of stew and a glass of pumpkin juice on his bedside table (miraculously still as full as they were when she left the kitchen) and then steps back as if surveying him. She’s wearing her Auror robes over a pair of Muggle jeans, ripped at the knees, and her hair is violently violet.

“You okay?” Her voice, in contrast, is gentle. She knows he’s exhausted but it seems like the right thing to say- it shows she cares. He nods and she takes that as an invitation to come and sit on the edge of his bed.

“I hope I didn’t wake you earlier?” Her concern is genuine, touching. He doesn’t think he’s ever met anyone who is such a wonderful contradiction of themselves.

“No, no you didn’t. I was already awake.” It’s not strictly true, but he doesn’t want her to worry about him. He isn’t used to that and he’s not sure if he even deserves it.

“Don’t lie to me, Remus. I’m so sorry.”

“I’d slept too long anyway, don’t worry yourself, Nymphadora.”

“Remus!”

“Sorry, Tonks.” There’s a part of him that likes her given name, despite her hatred of it, but he’d never dare tell her so. He brings his eyes up to meet hers and sees they’re studying him again.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Are you… Are you still in pain?” She chews her lip, anxiously.

“A little but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’m an old hand at this.”

Her dark eyes blink slowly, sadly.

“Here,” she says, reaching into the pocket of her robes, pulling out a chocolate bar in a purple wrapper. “Eat it, you’ll feel better.” Echoing his own words, she hands it to him and he opens it but offers her the first piece.

She shakes her head. “No, it’s for you.”

He thanks her and smiles as he eats. The expression is weak and weary but it’s unfeigned. She beams in return, with the satisfaction of having made him happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N] I may not update again for a while because I have exams coming up and I've already probably spent more time writing this than revising, but I promise you will get another chapter at some point.


	4. Checkmate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The members of the Order of the Phoenix bring something to the attention of Remus and Tonks.

The evening has certainly been an eventful one, but Harry is delivered to Headquarters quite successfully, and despite the small setback of him wanting to know more than Dumbledore has deemed suitable for him, he’s now upstairs talking things over with Ron and Hermione. He seems to be resigned to the fact that he is too young to join the Order but his outburst has set off Sirius, who thinks his godson should be more involved, and Molly who disagrees. As a result, most members of the Order of the Phoenix have taken refuge in the library whilst a battle rages downstairs in the kitchen. Remus has tried to pacify his friend but Sirius has made it clear that he won’t be calmed and so Remus has wound up in a corner of the library playing chess with Tonks and is trying to give the game his full attention.

Tonks herself is still glowing with pride at her triumph in removing Harry’s muggle relatives from their dreadfully dull suburban house, under the pretence that they were to be attending some award ceremony. Even the arguments that ensued after their return couldn’t put a dampener on her mood and her hair is almost luminous pink to display that.

“They’re going to keep fighting this out, but neither of them is going to win,” she muses, half-focussed, as raised voices drift up from downstairs. “Knight to D7.”

Remus shakes his head as his bishop moves across and wipes her piece from the board. “Both of them think they know what’s best for Harry,” he replies, “but Harry hasn’t had a proper parental figure for most of his life and now I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know what to do with two of them.”

“Three,” her voice is quiet but the word definitely escapes her lips, her thoughts slipping through into conversation.

“I don’t quite understand.” Green eyes lift from their game and fix on her. Her rook smashes into his bishop during his distraction.

“I just meant,” her cheeks are burning under his gaze, “That… You seem to be a bit like a father to Harry too.”

He shakes his head. “No, no I’m afraid Harry has only ever seen me as his professor.”

“But he knew you before Sirius. You taught him how to produce a Patronus, did you not?”

“He didn’t know I had been a friend of his parents then. And, besides, I am not his godfather.”

“Do you want to be?”

He feels her interrogation is getting a little personal, but her head is tipped on one side, her features soft and he can’t help but answer. “Sirius was always closest to James, and it’s the diversion he needs, being cooped up here.”

She offers him a small smile and orders one carved black, wooden chess piece to move across the board. Then, as he’s contemplating his next move, she watches him intently. After he makes his decision he looks up and finds her eyes still on him. “What’s your diversion then, Remus?”

He frowns so she elaborates, “What do you have to distract you from this? The Order, the war, Harry…” _Being a werewolf_ , she thinks, but does not say.

“Well,” he chuckles and the lines in his face shift to those of laughter, “I’m rather partial to a game of chess.”

She grins wider and moves her queen closer to his king. “Checkmate.”

“Not fair! You distracted me with all this talk of distractions.”

“Well, well, I never would have guessed. Remus Lupin, a bad loser.” She reaches over to shove him playfully but as she does so her elbow knocks half the pieces onto the floor.  
“Bollocks!” The laughter dies in her eyes and her tone is one of frustration tinged with sadness.

The pieces pick themselves up and dust themselves off. “Oi, watch yourself,” a pawn says angrily.

“Okay, I concede.” The dejectedness in her voice makes something twinge in his chest.

“What?” His exclamation is a little too loud. “It was checkmate, you were about to win.”

“Maybe I just don’t feel like playing anymore.” She mumbles. He knows her clumsiness makes her self-conscious and her refusal to meet his eyes betrays her emotions.

“Do you remember what I said to you on our first mission together? Your clumsiness is endearing, Nymphadora.” He rolls her name around on his tongue, teasing.

“Hmmm,” the corners of her lips twitch, “I was about to accept your flattery, Remus, but that was until you called me Nymphadora.”

He is about to retort when he hears heavy footsteps on the stairs and muffled expletives. Sirius. His and Molly’s argument has obviously drawn to its conclusion. 

“I should probably deal with him,” he says instead, an anti-climax in comparison to his now-discarded joke. He gets to his feet and hurries from the room after his friend. Tonks is left to Levitate the chess pieces from the floor, back onto the board where they arrange themselves in their default positions. Mad-Eye has been sat with his back to her the entire time, poring over plans, with only the gaze of his magical eye passing around the room now and then to check for a threat. She certainly doesn’t believe he’s been paying much attention to her, that is, until it is his words that break the silence.

“Remus Lupin is a werewolf.”

She frowns, he still isn’t facing her but she knows the eye is watching her now. “I know.”

“From your behaviour just now I never would have known. You’re a qualified Auror, Tonks, or have you forgotten your training?” She’s lost as to what it is he’s getting at.  
“But Remus is in the Order? He’s not a dark wizard, he’s on our side. I’d never realised you had such prejudices, Mad-Eye, you’ve always been perfectly content to talk to him.”

“Lupin is a great asset to the order, true. You misunderstand me, girl, I’d never think ill of him for his condition and he’d be one of the first in the Order I’d turn to to aid me in making decisions but there’s a difference between discussion and what you are doing, which is…” He trails off uncharacteristically, as if he’s searching for the right word. “Flirting." 

Although his face is obscured she knows he’s grimacing. Alastor Moody has never been one for cosy chats about other people’s personal lives.

Her jaw drops and despite her wishes, won’t close again, so she’s gaping at the back of his head trying to think of something suitable to say. In the end it comes out as fragments: “That wasn’t… It was just… I wasn’t…” She stops, clears her mind of every thought that’s ricocheting inside her skull and begins again. “I was not flirting.”  
Mad-Eye only gives a “Hmmmphh,” and turns back to the parchment he had been looking at.

It’s Kingsley, looking up from that morning’s Prophet, in the corner of room, who replies, “Yes you were.”

***

Remus knocks three times on Sirius’ bedroom door and waits. The answer inevitably comes, an angry voice followed by several small crashing noises.  
“Who is it?”

“Remus.”

No reply. He invites himself in and opens the door on to his best friend, lying on his stomach, half hidden beneath his bed. Various personal possessions are flying in various directions.

“Ah.” Sirius pulls out a bottle of Firewhiskey from deep beneath his bed, unscrews the lid and takes a swig. “Go away, Moony. I’m sure you have something better to do, like being an actual, useful, active member of this godforsaken Order or reading a book or flirting with my cousin.”

“Fine, if you don’t want my compa- hold on a minute, flirting? With Tonks? What are you on about Padfoot?”

Sirius’ scowl breaks when he chuckles. “Don’t tell me you haven’t realised?”

He thinks back to earlier that afternoon, when they had been sat in the kitchen, him, Tonks and Sirius, drinking tea and talking. He doesn’t remember his behaviour towards her being any different from his behaviour towards his oldest friend but then he remembers her laughing. Laughing at a joke he made, definitely to try and impress her, to brighten her day as much as she brightened his. It had been worth it to see her whole body turned towards him, dark eyes full of mirth. _But it’s harmless_ , he tells himself, _isn’t it?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter has been longer coming than I planned. I was going to update on Friday but I had a pretty turbulent few days and exams have got in the way of everything. Anyway I hope you like it, and if you do please comment and/or leave kudos. Thank you!


	5. Cleaning and Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonks knows there's something wrong but Remus is determined to avoid the issue.

The next time they see each other he doesn’t seem to be able to look her in the eyes. Tonks has offered to help out with ridding the house of various creatures and dark artefacts because Molly is slightly afraid of the children wandering into as yet unexplored corners of the house and discovering something really sinister. She arrives at breakfast time, stumbling into the kitchen whilst the Weasleys are all gathered around the table, digging in to a massive mound of toast their mother has set out for them. Remus is tucked away in a corner, studying the morning’s Prophet and shaking his head at every headline. She grabs a slice of toast on the way past and pulls up a chair next to him. He doesn’t look up.

“Wotcher,” she says with her mouth full and dropping crumbs into her lap.

His eyes are yet to acknowledge her as he says: “Good morning, Tonks.” 

“Anything interesting?” She gestures at the broadsheet he is holding. It feels strange, him calling her by her preferred name. She had been prepared to chastise him, to shoot several witty comebacks in his direction but now those words become stale on her tongue.

“The usual propaganda, I’m afraid.” His tone is flat and uninterested. Tonks can’t ever remember him speaking to her like that before.

“Something the matter?” She asks, turning in slightly towards him. “Did you fight with Sirius again?”

He looks up at her then, only briefly, but his eyes are surprised. “No, no, nothing’s wrong.”

“Oh okay.” She lowers her gaze from his face to the table studying the grain of the wood with far too much interest. The room is full of noise yet between them a heavy, uncomfortable silence seems to fall, threatening to drown them both.

They are paired together for the day and given a list of tasks to complete by Molly. Their first mission is to clear out the attic and as they head up the stairs neither are really looking forward to the hours ahead; Tonks is dreading the silence, Remus is dreading that he might have to speak. She doesn’t push him into conversation, whatever is bothering him isn’t her business and it’s clear he’d prefer her to stay out of it, but as they day goes on she can’t help but feel like she’s the problem.

“Remus, what’s the matter?” She asks again, pulling a sheet off of an old portrait and sending a plume of dust into the air.

“I told you, I’m fine.” He turns away as he says it, so his final word is barely audible. It hardly seems believable. He seems to be making his way towards the stairs, away from her and the inevitable conversation.

“Where are you going?”

“Well,” there is a hint of irritation in his voice, “considering that it’s midday I thought I would head down to see if Molly needed any help with lunch.”

She catches hold of his wrist and he could swear his heart begins to beat faster at the feeling of her hand on his skin but he pushes the thought away, putting it down to surprise.

He turns to face her, blank features and eyes that he hopes do not give away too much of his fear.  
The words she speaks hit him hard in his chest. “I thought we were friends.”

“We were,” then he corrects himself, “we are.”

“So what’s changed?”

“I…”

“Be honest with me, surely you value me enough for that?” She spits the words with more bitterness than she had intended and she sees him wince at each syllable.

Her lip quivers slightly and he crumbles, he cannot lie to her and he cannot keep this up. Perhaps honesty will make her see.

“I am a werewolf, Nymphadora,” he half sighs.

“So everyone keeps reminding me.”

“What do you- Who-?”

“Don’t worry yourself, Remus, I don’t care that you’re a werewolf, I thought I’d made that perfectly clear.” She’s dodging his most recent question but he decides that isn’t his most pressing issue.

“You should. Goddamnit, Tonks, how can it not bother you?”

“Because I’ve never felt less threatened by anyone in my life. You make me laugh, you’re a good conversationalist, and you’re a good person, Remus. Being a werewolf doesn’t invalidate all of those aspects of your personality.”

“You have no idea- I have the potential to kill- I could have killed for all you know, multiple times. That doesn’t scare you at all?”

“No.” He stares at her, waiting for her explanation. “It wouldn’t be you doing the killing, it wouldn’t be the Remus I know, the man who has become my friend. You and the wolf are not the same.”

“What if I told you we weren’t all that different?” He asks.

“Then I wouldn’t believe you.”

He laughs but there is very little humour in the sound, and falls back against a wooden beam. “Is stubbornness a family trait or is it just within the black sheep of the house?”

“Oh I definitely get it from my mother.” Her statement fails to answer his question.

“Sirius was just like you when we first became friends. Even James was a bit wary of me, but your cousin didn’t care. And look where he’s ended up.”

“None of what happened to him was your fault, Remus. And I’m struggling to see your point.”

“Don’t make friends with werewolves, Nymphadora, it never ends well.”

There it is. She’s never been more relieved to hear someone call her that that she almost cracks a smile. That is, until she registers the rest of the sentence.

“So all of this awkwardness was your way of telling me to stay away from you?” She inquires although her voice has lost its harsh edge.

“In a way, I suppose, without telling you that directly.”

“Have you considered that it isn’t your choice whether I stay away from you or not?”

He doesn’t reply.

“Our friendship means something to me, Remus, if you want things to change then tell me so, but I think you’d be lying if you did.”

His answer is a slow nod, then, “So you’d say we were friends then?”

“What would you call us?”

“I don’t know, I just didn’t want to presume that that was what you wanted.”

She smiles sadly, “Of course it is.” 

And with that everything he’d meant to say, the speech he’d planned to use if he had to, gets pushed back into a corner of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of dialogue again in this chapter, I'm sorry. I'm far better at description but the scene didn't call for that so what could I do?


	6. Schemes and Celebrations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Harry's trial at the Ministry, Molly Weasley throws a party at Headquarters, but not everyone is happy to join in the celebrations.

“But surely Harry not being expelled from Hogwarts is a good thing?” Tonks is sprawled across an armchair in the library at Grimmauld Place. Remus is watching her curiously from the chair opposite, her limbs stretched out carelessly, an explosion of colour against the dark velvet of Walburga’s furniture. They’re discussing Sirius, who managed to slip away from the evening’s celebrations (which Molly tried her utmost to confine to the kitchen) halfway through, skulking away up the stairs with a bottle of Firewhiskey tucked under one arm.

“Ah but you see, if Harry is at Hogwarts he isn’t here. As much as Sirius cares about Harry’s education he’d rather he was with him,” explains Remus, gesticulating with his glass. Both of them have had a little too much to drink, although neither would care to admit it.

“Oh. Sirius really does see him as James, doesn’t he? I mean, I’ve heard Snape make snide remarks but I never really realised the extent.”

“I’m afraid so. And, unfortunately that means that whilst the rest of us are celebrating what is clearly a victory for Harry and for Dumbledore, Sirius feels like his closest friend is slipping away again.” Remus sighs as the hand that isn’t holding his glass rubs a spot above his eyebrow.

“That’s fucking rough.” A sleeping portrait wakes up to tell Tonks to watch her language before beginning to snore very loudly again.

Remus nods in agreement. “Indeed. I just wish there was something I could do to make things a little easier on him. It’s hard for him, you know, he’s under what seems to him to be house arrest in the place that holds his worst childhood memories. That’s partly why his moods are so tempestuous; it’s not just the effect of Azkaban.”

“It’s just going to be you two here, once the kids have gone back to school?” It’s only half a question.

“The fugitive and the werewolf surrounded by the disembodied heads of dead house-elves and possibly possessed furniture. It’s looking like a cheerful year.”

“Well if there’s anything I can do…” She doesn’t know why she’s asking. Her great aunt’s house gives her the creeps and as much as she loves her cousin, she’s hardly an expert in dealing with his darker moods. But more evenings like this, slightly inebriated conversations with Remus in the library, might be something she can live with.

“Actually you’ve proven yourself to be quite good at cheering this place up.” More than anything, he wants her to visit in the next year as frequently as she has in the past six weeks, but that’s not something he’ll allow himself to say.

“Remus, we’ve talked about the flattery thing.”

He’s grinning at her. “Have we? I distinctly don’t remember having that conversation. Anyway, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t count as flattery if it’s true.”

“I don’t know, maybe. Maybe not. That’s beside the point. Flattery leads to embarrassment, which leads to clumsiness, which leads to disaster.” Tonks throws her hands up and as if to make her point, narrowly misses knocking one of her snoozing ancestors from the wall.

“Okay, okay, I’ll go easy on the flattery and get back to drafting you in to help me cheer up Sirius,” he concedes.

“Oh, so that’s where this was going. What kind of thing did you have in mind?”

Remus clears his throat. “That’s where you were supposed to come in. I’ve never really been a ray of sunshine myself.”

“Well that’s bollocks.” Tonks rolls her eyes then admits, “You know him better than I do. What kind of thing used to cheer him up, y’know, before…”

And Remus does know. “That task was always down to James, he and Sirius could drag each other out of moods so easily, generally with some stupid prank.”

“Then there we have it.” She concludes, sweeping her hands around in front of her.

“You’re not seriously suggesting…” She interrupts him mid-sentence.

“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting.” Her face cracks into a mischievous smile, the kind that makes him regret even bringing this up in the first place, but at the same time he is so intrigued.

“Who…?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Remus has to admit she’s right, it really is.

“And what…?”

“It was your idea in the first place and you think I’m not going to let you have any input? Remus, what kind of witch do you think I am?” She’s teasing him slightly and he minds very little.

“I have to warn you I was never put in charge of pranks for the Marauders for a reason. And, as an answer to your second question, I have no bloody clue.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter this time, but definitely a necessary one. I'm on holiday now until 15th July with limited wifi and writing time so chapter 7 may take some time, sorry.


	7. Eavesdropping with Extendable Ears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonks and Remus become worried that Sirius is suspicious of their plans and this leads to another, unexpected revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the sheer amount of cheesiness in this chapter and in my storyline in general. Credit for this idea goes to two of my friends/work colleagues Lydia and Beth. Beta credits go to the usual suspects.

“Are you sure he’s suspicious?” Remus and Tonks are leaning against the bannisters on the first floor landing of Headquarters.

“Certain. he’s been giving me strange looks all week.” She shakes off the questioning look he’s giving her with her reply. She twirls something flesh-coloured in her fingers.

“And that was justification for stealing from some teenage boys so you could eavesdrop on your cousin because…?” He inquires. He’s not even close to making her feel guilty yet Tonks can feel a blush rising in her cheeks.

“Just trust me, won’t you?” She replies. “If Sirius so much as suspects our plan it will ruin the whole element of surprise. Plus, I’m pretty sure Fred and George would approve of us borrowing one of their Extendable Ears for pranking purposes.”

“Fine, you win. So, how do these contraptions work, exactly?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” She screws up her face adorably in concentration, as she inspects the fake ear. “Maybe we just drop it down and listen.”

“Maybe,” Remus hums distractedly.

Tonks unravels the string coiled neatly around the Extendable Ear and lowers it down gradually so that it lands two floors down, just where light is escaping from beneath the kitchen door. She and Remus both lean, upper arms pressing together, in so they can hear the voices drifting out from the other end of the twins’ invention.

“I’m serious, guys.” Sirius is saying to Bill and Kingsley, his voice adamant.

“We know you are mate.” The end of Bill’s sentence seems choked and not long after he finishes speaking he lets out a snorting laugh.

The Black heir let’s out a sigh. “Fuck’s sake, Weasley, hasn’t that got old yet?”

“Apparently not.” Kingsley is concealing his amusement well.

“Awful jokes, aside, we need to talk about Moony and Tonks.” Sirius’ statement makes the two eavesdroppers share a look and Tonks mouths “See!” at her accomplice.

“What evidence do you have for this exactly?” Kingsley inquires.

“Just watch them when they’re together. They spend all their time whispering and giving each other looks.”

“Maybe they just know something you don’t.” Bill’s suggestion makes Tonks tense beside Remus.

Sirius states calmly: “No, I know something they don’t.”

“And what’s that then?” comes Kingsley’s inquiry.

“They _definitely_ fancy each other.”

It takes all of Tonks’ effort not to drop the string she’s holding and let go of the ear completely. She feels her mouth drop open and sees the exact same expression reflected on Remus’ face. But his quickly melts into horror.

“How could he think that?” He raises his voice a little more than he should considering the three other people in the house have no idea that they’re being eavesdropped upon.

“I mean… Not that… You’re a pretty girl Tonks, but I’m a werewolf, for Merlin’s sake!”

“You already know that doesn’t bother me.” She doesn’t quite intend to speak that aloud but instead means to agree that Sirius’ theory is ludicrous and she can feel her cheeks flush. Maybe she does fancy him. But she can’t, it’s Remus, her friend, her pranking partner. No, she definitely doesn’t.

He elaborates. “I’m also thirteen years older than you and dirt poor.”

“You realise I don’t care about that either, right?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I don’t really know. Maybe that what Sirius is saying isn’t quite as ridiculous as you’re making it seem.” She’s desperately trying to morph her blush away, and failing, but she hopes he can’t see the colour of her cheeks in the low lighting.

“I don’t know about that.”

“I do. Look, we’re friends, we get on well and we spend an increasing amount of time together, it would be easy to jump to that conclusion.” She explains.

“It would be highly dangerous for you if anyone other than Sirius jumps to that conclusion. You could lose your job, you could become a pariah for associating… like that… with a werewolf.”

“Remus, relax.” Tonks rests a hand on his arm and his instinct nearly makes him wrench it away in surprise. “We’re not dating each other, are we? So I’m not going to be outcast by wizarding society… Although…”

“Although what?”

“I was thinking we could change the nature of our little prank, just a bit.”

“Tonks, no.” He is going to be firm about this, Remus John Lupin is not going to give in to this extraordinary woman yet again.

“Come on Remus, we’ll only pretend in front of Sirius. All the kids leave next week anyway, so everyone else will only be here for meetings.” There isn’t a flaw to be found in her logic.

“It’s better than our oth… Wait, how the hell are you nearly talking me into this?”

“They say I have a way with words.” Her smile is blinding in the shadowy hallway.

“They definitely don’t.”

“Shut up, Lupin.” She says, giving him a small shove. “Ooh does this mean I get to come up with a gross, cheesy pet-name for you? I could have a field day with that.”

“No pet-names, Tonks.”

“Not Remy? How about _Professor_?” She drawls out the last word ridiculously and Remus finds himself sliding down the wall of the hallway, shaking with laughter. “You have to admit it’s a funny idea.”

He pauses chuckling for long enough to get a sentence out unbroken. “I won’t go as far as admitting that, but I might end up telling you that you might just have convinced me to take part in this mad scheme.”


	8. harmless pranks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> there's a possibility that remus and tonks' plan to amuse and distract sirius goes a little too far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am truly very sorry about the six month delay. i've had so much going on but i've managed to find the time to work on this again.

“He’s coming!” Remus whispers to Tonks, who is taking up half of the sofa as she pores over maps and plans. It’s a Wednesday night in September and, as is becoming routine, Remus and Tonks have retired to the library after the evening’s Order meeting to look over copies of Ministry files and mission plans.

Her eyebrows knit into a frown. “How do you know it’-,” she begins to ask but Remus silences her by pressing his index finger to his lips. He knows it’s Sirius because of the thump of his heavy footsteps on the stairs and the angry mutterings he makes as he climbs, both of which are out of Tonks’ earshot. He can smell him too: Firewhiskey and damp and old cigars. It’s close enough to the full moon for his senses to be heightened but he doesn’t particularly want to remind her of his affliction, especially not as she sidles closer to him on the sofa. She pulls her legs up next to him and rests her head on his shoulder to get a good view of what he’s reading. He tenses a little at the contact, then relaxes into it slightly, hoping she can’t feel that his heart has suddenly sped up. When he slips his left arm around her it’s almost automatic, natural even. It’s as if no one would even guess it was all pretence.

Their timing is perfect. Sirius bursts through the door a few seconds later, scowling lines etched into his face. Remus and Tonks fly apart a moment too late, just as they had planned it. Sirius gets halfway across the room before he registers what he has just seen. Tonks stares at her lap, finding that the blush she had intended to metamorphose is already burning in her skin.

“Not interrupting anything, am I?” The ex-convict asks, looking at the pair suspiciously.

Their replies come out as a chorus. “No!”

Sirius doesn’t reply, instead he replaces his angry frown with a small smile and leaves the room.

“Well that was weird,” Tonks turn to Lupin as soon as her cousin’s footsteps can no longer be heard.

“I know!” He exclaims. “I was expecting some teasing or a sarcastic comment at the very least but that reaction was not what I thought it would be.”

“Hmmm… Very odd.” She replies, turning back to the map she’s studying.

The next day Tonks decides to up her game. She slides in beside Remus at breakfast and kisses him on the cheek, ensuring Sirius catches this action out of the corner of his eye. Lupin draws back a little in surprise but only momentarily before slipping into his act once more. He can’t hide his blushing like she can however, but she’s too busy helping herself to toast and tea to really notice. His best friend, on the other hand, is all too aware and smirks across the table at him for a while without comment. The next time he turns away, Remus leans over to Tonks and whispers something in her ear with the intention of making her giggle. It’s supposed to seem flirtatious to Sirius, who can’t hear that the comment is in fact an observation about Snape’s hair, but it’s obviously funnier than Remus realises because it sends Tonks into hysterics, snorting into her breakfast. In the end she almost chokes on air and excuses herself with a glass of water, tears still streaming from her eyes.

“So what’s going on with you two then?” Sirius says as soon as she’s out of the room. Remus isn’t at all surprised. They were going to have to have this conversation sooner or later although he wishes his friend had confronted the two of them; he’s not sure he can keep up the act on his own.

“Nothing.” He’s a bad liar but Sirius had always been easier to fool than say, James or Lily were and for some reason, he asks nothing else.  
“Don’t lie to me, Remus.” He snaps. Halloween is approaching and Sirius’ temper in beginning to fray more than slightly.

“Nothing.” The werewolf repeats, trying to keep his tone steady

Sirius’ voice is softer when he speaks again. “Mate, I managed to find out about your furry little problem, you can’t keep secrets from me.”

Remus is about to crack, this joke has gone too far now, if Sirius thinks he and Tonks are a couple it won’t be long until others start to believe it too. And he can’t deal with the shame that will bring for her.

“I know you’re pretending.” This next statement catches Remus off-guard.

“Y- what?”

“At first I thought, hoped maybe, that you’d managed to find happiness, but then I thought about it logically. See, if you were really in love with Tonks, you wouldn’t still be here- don’t try and tell me and different, we both know it’s true- you’d damn the war and run as far as you could to stop her getting hurt. So I figured something wasn’t what it seemed.” Sirius leans back in his chair, his look semi-triumphant. He digs around in his pocket and pulls out a long, flesh-coloured wire. “Then I saw Kreacher coming out of your room with this. I knew an ex-Gryffindor prefect such as yourself would never sink to such levels, so I figured my cousin had to be involved. If I didn’t know you so well, it would have been an excellent prank.”

Remus chuckles. “We were just going to put slime in your shoes or something. I’m starting to think that would have been a better plan.”

They hear the door creak and Tonks is standing there, having managed to metamorphose away most of the redness in her face. She studies them, each for a few seconds, then her brow furrows.

“What’s up?”

Remus looks up at her. “I’m afraid we’re busted, my dear.”

“Damnit Lupin, can’t I leave you for split second without you ruining everything?” She’s only half joking.

“Actually,” her cousin interjects, “I worked it out, based on my superior knowledge of all things Remus Lupin.”

“Of course you did,” she says, then, turning to Remus and putting on her best melancholy tone, “I guess that’s it, we’re done. We had a good run, my love.” The spikes of her hair droop, turning to a dull blue-grey.

He looks between the two cousins, Tonks with her faux-misery and Sirius, hiding his laughter behind a curtain of black curls. “Merlin,” he exclaims, “anyone who says they can’t see the family resemblance is a liar. You’re both far too dramatic.”

Nymphadora gives him her best innocent smile, strands of pink working their way into her hair again. “So, what do we do now?”

Black smirks. “I do have one idea.”

He bends his head conspiratorially as his friends huddle around him at the kitchen table. His voice is little more than a whisper as he lays out his plan.

“Oh god no,” Remus groans in disagreement as his best friend finishes his speech, “That is the worst idea I have ever heard.”

Tonks grins. “No, that’s the best idea you’ve ever heard.”

***  
The next Order meeting comes around a few days later and Remus spends the time Dumbledore talks for shifting nervously in his seat. Tonks is a few seats down and on the other side of the table but her constant knee-bouncing creates ripples of pumpkin juice in his glass. When the headmaster calls an end to the meeting, a few members leave immediately but most mill around, drifting in and out of conversations with each other. Sirius makes eye contact with both his cousin and his best friend and when neither of them react, he waggles his eyebrow outrageously and they sigh at him and slip away.

“Footsteps.” Remus’ voice is low and his breath ghosts past Tonks’ ear.

“Okay,” she whispers, “You ready?”

They’re standing by the doorway, opposite the hated troll’s foot umbrella stand, with Tonks facing down the hallway and Remus opposite her. Sirius has promised them that his plan is flawless, but neither participant is feeling particularly trusting towards him as they run through each step in their heads.

The sound of shoes against the wooden floor loudens. Tonks tries to regulate her breathing as her arms reach up and around Remus’ neck, pulling her onto her toes. He dips his head a little, angling his face. To Snape, advancing down the hallway behind them, it might look like they’re kissing. Sirius (who was tucked behind the door of the library) had hoped so, almost cackling as he imagined the Potions master’s face as he saw his old adversary, a despised dark creature, romancing the most vivacious member of the Order. 

The footsteps come to a halt. There’s a gasp from behind them, then. A decidedly un-Snape-like gasp. Then the sound of breaking china.


End file.
